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Town Hall Meetings to Crisis Management – Online Conferencing in the Public Sector

A key initiative in the Obama Administration is to use innovation and the influence of technology to improve overall performance and lower the cost of government operations. With an unstable economy and reduced operating budgets, local and federal municipalities have been forced to act. Turning to online communication and collaboration solutions as a way to streamline daily operations, online video and web conferencing technology has become a crucial weapon in how government entities communicate.

The use of online conferencing services gives government and public service agencies the ability to reduce obstacles brought on by location, as well as cut back on travel related costs. In addition, by using video and web conferencing services, local, state and federal organizations are benefitting by increased productivity and participating in a more eco-friendly environment. Here are some ways these solutions are being implemented:

Emergency Preparedness Webinars – When disaster strikes, citizens turn to their government and community leaders as a source of information. Holding online webinars that focus on emergency planning and training prior to a catastrophic event helps ready the public and ease the minds of communities across the country.

Work From Home Programs – The demand to telecommute is growing. Online video and web conferencing allows employees to bring the office home with them. With just a click of a mouse, remote workers are able to communicate face-to-face with supervisors, co-workers, prospects and clients.

Crisis Management – First responders and public safety groups are using online conferencing to share live up-to-date information, analyze threat levels with remote team members and stay in constant contact with central command teams.

Training and Distance Learning – Online video and web conferencing offers public service agents and officials a way to save time and reduce geographical barriers. By conducting interactive live trainings and classes, employees can participate via their home or office computer, cutting back on hours of travel time and aggravation.

Joint Planning and Collaboration – Teams and departments spread throughout a district or county can work together on projects, go over budget reviews, organize events and participate in recurring meetings. This is all being done through an internet browser, eliminating the need for in-person gatherings.

Citizen Outreach Programs – Executing interactive town hall meetings with the community allows citizens to openly ask questions and voice their concerns. Online video and web conferencing is uniting and building trust amongst communities by providing the public with effortless access to local and remote officials.

Local, state and federal municipalities are recognizing the multitude of benefits acquired through the utilization of this technology. Video and web conferencing fosters productivity and is an economical, real-time solution to complications caused by budget restraints and location. In this day and age of constant cutbacks and a population more on-the-move than ever, online video and web conferencing is destined to become utilized in an increasing way with each passing day.